Specificity of Cultural Management in Hungary

As a former communist state, Hungary encounters similar problems with culture management as the other countries of Central Europe, since they have become democratic countries at the same time. The issues of the state’s role in shaping cultural life and of culture funding especially in the time of crisis are disputed, and the discussions do not lead to any consensus. The specifi city of cultural management in Hungary, in addition to a number of typical problems of democracy, is closely linked to the history of the 20th century and the events which permanently affected the national identity and culture of the country. Since the end of World War I the matter of a cultural nation has caused Hungary many problems, but also created many possibilities by the Hungarian national minority living in the neighboring countries and the offi cially recognized nationalities living in Hungary. The current government led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, being aware of these extra human and cultural resources, has been integrating them tightly with the Hungarian cultural system. However, culture seems to have a secondary position in the state structure, being represented only by a state secretariat within the enormous Ministry of Human Resources. For the purpose of giving some examples of the cultural institutions’ operation, I describe the legal background of museum institutions, public libraries and general cultural education facilities, basically represented by culture houses and cultural centers